


The Return of Winter

by Burgie



Category: Star Stable Online
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-12
Updated: 2017-07-12
Packaged: 2018-12-01 07:45:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11481813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: The winter spirit makes his way to Valedale in search of his mate. Inspired by the white Arabian in Valedale.





	The Return of Winter

A gust of snow whirled down from the frozen pass. And out of it, hoofsteps. A white horse emerged, his mane and tail blowing in the frozen air. He was an elegant horse, with long, thin legs, a slim and small build, and a small head atop a graceful neck. Jorvegians would call him an Arabian. But he was a winter spirit. And he had come in search of his mate.

For many moons, the winter spirit had heard that a lovely black mare had been sighted in this valley beyond the frozen land that he liked to roam. A mare with a splotch of white on her nose. And now, at long last, the winter spirit had decided to seek out his mate. Fortunately, the climate here was cool enough that he was quite comfortable. His form did not ache as it did when the cooler weather disappeared. He was even able to walk a few steps before he was stopped.

“Hello there,” said a man. He wore a cowl, but the winter spirit did not need to see his face. The voice was gentle, and he felt much like the men who had taken his mate. They had been very kind and gentle, even faced with a wild, pregnant mare. The winter spirit swished his tail and gave a nicker, stepping closer to the man. The man stroked the spirit’s nose, murmuring about how pretty he was, and looped a rope around the spirit’s neck.

The winter spirit could have easily used his magic to turn the rope ethereal and thus let it phase through him, but he didn’t. Instead, he obediently followed the man over to the stables.

“What’s this?” asked a woman, looking up from the flowers that she was arranging.

“A winter spirit,” said the man. “Feel him, Elizabeth.” The woman reached out and touched the spirit’s side, but he remained still. Humans were often curious.

“Oh! He’s cold as ice!” said the woman.

“Yes, it is one of the rather more interesting parts of their magic,” said the man.

“But surely we shouldn’t sell him,” said the woman. “He is a magical being.”

“I know,” said the man. “So I will not sell him. Rather, I shall… reserve him for someone.”

“Who did you have in mind?” asked Elizabeth.

“The girl with the half-spirit foal,” said the man. “And the mare with a cold nose.”

The winter spirit was pleased to hear this, and walked easily into the stall that had been prepared for him. He did not need to eat or drink as normal horses did. Instead, he needed only the cold air and a place in which to rest.

Snow soon coated the stall, piling up around the spirit’s hooves as he hung his head in rest. Days and nights passed, with no vistors save for the curious humans that the winter spirit allowed to pet him. One day, someone left a package at his hooves, buried in the snow. He sniffed it and, finding the scent of blood, recoiled and kicked the offensive package away from him. It tore open, scattering the red pieces across the ground. The human was quite angry when they returned, but the robed man soothed them and sent them on their way with a stern word about abusing magic.

But at last, the day came when the spirit heard voices and the sound of hoofsteps on stone. The hoofsteps sped up, and a black horse came to a sudden stop in front of the winter spirit. Immediately, he nuzzled her, and she returned the nuzzle. How he had missed this mare.

“You have arrived at last, Louisa,” said the robed man, coming over to the dismounted rider while the two lovers reconnected.

“Yeah, I got your message but I still had a lot of horses to train,” said the young woman. “Is this really her mate?”

“Does it look like he is her mate?” asked the robed man, and the young woman turned and smiled at the nuzzling pair.

“That’s true love right there,” said the young woman. “I have to reunite them. How much?”

She paid a small fee, and then the young woman mounted the mare again and rode slowly away while the two lovestruck horses trotted next to each other and very much looked forward to finally going home together.


End file.
